...Melancholia? No, Thank You!

A nice photograph of Sara wearing my enameled necklace. I really like this shot, it looks as she's lost in good memories...She's not gloomy, she has that kind of smart expression, as she is about to laugh....

Lavender Gray Enamel Necklace

But probably she's just wondering: Am I actually hugging a giant pig?!

Ps. This counts also as film review and healthy alternative to prozac.

Eine Kleine Liebster Award

Essenze in movimento, a blogger I knew during Topogina linky Party, gave me this award spending very lovely words about mine. So, at first, thank you Essenze in Movimento!

I was supposed to pick some other five blogs with less than 200 followers among the ones I follow. It was not that easy! Anyway, this is my top-five:

Miss Minù (Italian), who always makes me laugh writing about her huge, joyful family. She's not just my super hero for what she does, she has also a very fresh writing. A very special mention goes to Alice, Allegra and Edod, her children.

The Witch Emporium (Italian/English), for adding a pinch of magic in every jewel, collecting secret traditions I always enjoy reading. As I wrote once, I'd like to make a book out of all those blog posts...

Tirabaralla (English), who is from Florence, Italy, like me, and lives in Dublin, Ireland, like me. I like coincidence and enjoy sharing this destiny-destination. :D

Deborah Watkins (English) for she is able to communicate the sense of Ireland though her paintings. Her words and pictures channel a firm, delicate approach to things.

Sibilla Graphics (Italian), who is a constant surprise to me! Through her blog I can follow the DIY Italian scene from a counter cultural point of view.

[If you've won the award, you don't have to do anything! On the other hand, if you want to continue the game, just download the banner, create a post blog like this, and communicate to your own top five they have won the award via comment on their blogs].

...Have a nice day!

When Jewelry Wears. Fashion Necklaces.

Fancy Beaded Necklace (Mostly Black) by Elettrarossa on Etsy

My friend Sara shows how my designer multistrand necklaces wear.

See also the color pictures of the necklace on Etsy

The necklace is made bold by its eight strands, where various patterns of black beads are embellished with a couple of fabric covered beads and just one faceted resin crystal. Although dark, the jewel sparkles of bronze, and here and there of gemstones and antique silver enameled filigree I randomly inserted.

My shop on Etsy

To make all the pieces work together harmoniously (oh yes, here we organize the chaos!), the eight strands are scaled in length. As a result, a very rich jeweled statement necklace! To see more details jump to my shop!

Dried Lavender Bags and Eye-Relaxing Pillow

Hello everybody! I'm definitely "exploring new lidos (= shores)", meaning today I'm not listing jewelry but...lavender bags!

Lavender Bags by Elettrarossa on Etsy

You won't believe it, but I'm still waiting for sharing the sewing machine. It's my fault, of course, since I've been travelling all the time. When I travel, I cannot even take with me the things I need to make jewels, so, ex necessitate virtus, I've played with some fabric scraps. I hand sewed some sachets with black and white linen and the liberty fabric I bought last month from "Murphy and Sheehy" in Dublin.

Wardrobe Lavender Sachets with Long String to Hang (SOLD)

I filled them with lavender buds - organically grown in France, very high quality! It smells so good!

Eye-relaxing Pillow Filled with Lavender Buds

The last lavender pillow is an eye-relaxing bag, I discover this genius thing at the local market years ago, but just today I decided to make one and tried it out. It's marvelous!

*** D I Y  T I P S ***

Linen is a "super transpirant" fabric, very good to make your sachets work correctly. An important tips on lavender bags: when you think they're losing the scent, just massage the sachet, gently crushing the buds. This is what makes them release their unique smell. 

***

Stay tuned!

Monica Ogaz, 100 x 100.

I met Monica Ogaz in 2008. She was looking for a studio and answered to the ad a very resolute friend of mine posted online to help me with the rent. From then on, we had been sharing the lab for a couple of years. To me, she was the best mate ever. I don't want to be cynic since I'm part of the same army, but after an endless sequence of self- declared artists and weird bohemians I had been trying to share the space with, she was a pleasant surprise. 

Monica Ogaz, Pittura numero 1 di 100

Monica is a gifted artist, a clever counsellor (she specialized in Gestalt Counselling e Art Therapy), and definitely a charming woman. She has now her own atelier, which I had the pleasure of visiting last june. 

100 x 100, Logo

Anyway, the reason why today I write about Monica is that she's launched a campaign called "100 pitture per 100 giorni/ Una pintura cada dia, por cien dias" you may want to follow on Facebook. Just say :"I like it"!

"100 x 100" is a pictorial project coming from her commitment of creating a 60x60 painting every day for a period of 100 days starting from April 16. Each image will be performed ​​on the basis of a daily preset color palette, with the aim of stimulating the use of color. Each resulting canvas will cost 100 euro, and will include a document of authenticity signed by Monica.

After the 100 days period, an art exhibition - collecting all the paintings - will be held.

Monica Ogaz was born in Monterrey, Mexico, in 1982. She studied painting at the Accademia di Belle Arti, Florence, where she graduated with honors. She specialized in Gestalt Counselling and Art Therapy at the Gestalt Institute of Bologna. She lives and works in Florence, Italy.

Glass and Paper Brooch in Magenta

During what I'll call - for extension - "easter holidays", I couldn't find a moment for crafting, nor posting. Ok, let's say I had no time at all. My family doesn't see me that much...So, although I was in Florence almost ten days, it has been a very demanding tour! Fortunately, you can switch me to the useful berserker mode.

Paper and Glass Brooch by Elettrarossa on Etsy

Anyway, I took some pictures of a dear friend of mine wearing my new paper and glass jewelry before leaving...I'll start with this, just to feel I didn't leave myself behind...

Mini Fabric Folds, Set of Three.

Actually they are not the new textils I was talking about here, but I'm waiting for sharing the sewing machine. I've already basted them, but I need a couple of hours to sew them safely. 

My Minibags on Etsy

In the meantime, I couldn't help myself from listing these collateral damages made out of the fabric leftover! So...tadàn! The mini pockets!

Folds of lined fabric

Travelling very often, and reducing the baggage anytime, I sadly found out one risks not only the disaster, but also the waste of goods (for instance, when pills and a lipstick meet). 

Anyway, these mini bags are just perfect to keep separated things in a beautycase, in the bag, in a clutch.

My Elettrarossa Shop on Etsy

The concept behind is definitely easy going! There is not zip, button or other. It is simply a sewed fold. You can do it yourself...even without a sewing machine!

Steel Rings Necklace

...Waiting to have ready my new textils, today I blog about one of my necklaces, one of the very few I succeed to see worn by my goth-steampunk-dark-underground-hardcore friends :D

Stainless Steel Rings Necklace by Elettrarossa on Etsy

I found out mine was not just a creative way to upcycle jewelry findings in a shining necklace, but also a viable solution for who is frightened by pastel colors and shabby chic jewelry...Of course, you can do it yourself with a ribbon of your favorite color and a huge amount of rings, I'd say three or five hundreds, more or less.

My friend wearing my steel ring necklace

And maybe it's the perfect gift idea for teen daughters as well. 

Stay tuned!